The United Church of Christ Palestine Israel Network (UCC PIN) is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the UCC Neighbors in Need Fund. The Neighbors in Need Fund provides seed funding for congregations and organizations addressing systemic injustice. UCC PIN's work aligns closely with the fund's focus by promoting and protecting the basic rights and dignity of Palestinians through education, advocacy, and mobilization within the UCC community. This grant will support UCC PIN's communications, enabling us to better serve clergy, congregations, and individuals seeking to engage theologically with critical justice concerns in Palestine. 

Since October 2023, UCC PIN has experienced a significant surge in demand for our resources, with increased website traffic and newsletter subscriptions reflecting growing interest in our work. This grant comes at a crucial time, allowing us to strengthen our communications infrastructure and expand our capacity to serve the UCC community. 

The funded project will focus on two key initiatives: developing a comprehensive communications strategy to enhance our digital presence and expanding our communications staff hours to better manage increased engagement. These improvements will help UCC PIN:

• Disseminate information more effectively across the UCC
• Provide enhanced support to clergy addressing controversial global justice issues
• Bridge the gap between national church stances and grassroots implementation
• Amplify Palestinian voices and perspectives within our denomination 

This grant represents an important opportunity to strengthen UCC PIN's role as a crucial resource within the United Church of Christ and beyond. By enhancing our communications capacity, we'll be better equipped to help more clergy and congregations engage meaningfully with Palestinian rights issues through a faith lens. We are grateful to the Neighbors in Need Fund for this support, which will help us continue our mission to educate, equip, and mobilize the United Church of Christ for bold, prophetic witness and risk-taking advocacy toward the goal of a just and genuine peace in Palestine and Israel.

This excerpt is from the UCCPIN December 2024 E-Newsletter. To view the full newsletter, click here: 
UCCPIN December 2024 E-Newsletter.